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To The Rescue: The Boston Bombing And "We The People"

The authorities continue to investigate the bomb explosions that killed three people and wounded more than 160 people in Boston -- there are still too many unknowns.

The motive and the individual, or individuals or organizations, behind the attack remain unknown. President Obama has characterized the explosions as an "act of terror."

The bombs themselves were not sophisticated. According to the authorities they were made from portable pressure cookers that contained the explosive devices: they bombs were made more lethal by being packed with sawed of nails and other metallic devices in order to create massive shrapnel dispersal that would penetrate the victims' skin. The crude bombs were so effective that many of the victims' legs were so damaged that they had to be amputated.

Here is the one great lesson from the Boston mayhem.

The Boston Police officers who were stationed at the scene near the site of the locations along the route of the marathon did what they were expected to do and trained to do: to come to the aid of those stricken by the explosions.

And even as many things remain unknown about the bomb explosions one thing is known. Which is that even during surprise and dangerous attacks, ordinary Americans --we the people-- are more than willing to take risks by coming to the aid of others.

Video recordings and photographs from the scene of the explosions show regular folk running back to aid and comfort others. Those who helped slow down the bleeding of some victims, before trained Emergency Services employees took over, may have helped save some lives.

It's importance to fully comprehend the heroism of these ordinary people who rose to the occasion. There was not one explosion but there were too. Those people who rushed to help victims did not know how many people would end up dead. They eventually realized there had been two explosions -- and they could not know have known whether more bombs would be detonated.

Yet in those kind of moments there are no fears at all. The randomness of those kind of attacks immediately trigger the instincts to step forward and help. This is because any one of those folk stepping forward to the rescue realized that any one of the victims could have been a relative or someone whom they knew.

There is no better demonstration of solidarity than when women and men respond to the aid of others under fire.